Start Menu Button - Change

How to Change the Start Menu Button in Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you how to change the Start Menu button orb in Windows 7 32-bit and 64-bit.

   Warning

REMEMBER TO BACK UP EXPLORER.EXE!

Here's How:

For custom made start buttons, and further information, please visit this thread: http://www.sevenforums.com/customization/2002-custom-themes-icons-start-buttons-92.html

   Information

The explorer.exe you want to edit is:

C:\Windows\explorer.exe

and not C:\Windows\SysWOW64\explorer.exe (for those running x64)

And for those who use the larger DPI's i.e 125% , 150% you need to change:

6806 - 66 x 198
6807 - 81 x 243
6808 - 106 x 318

NOTE: The start orb replacement always HAS to look like this:
1 orb: Orb when not in use (when not clicked or mouseover'ed)
2 orb: mouseover
3 orb: When start orb is clicked

1. Download Restorator (Shareware) (Restorator 2007 Resource Editor - Restorator - Bome Software)

2. Take ownership of the whole Windows folder (see these links for more info: Take Ownership of file - Vista Forums and http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1911-take-ownership-shortcut.html)

3. Open explorer.exe with restorator



4. Go to the folder called "Bitmap"

5. Replace 6801.bmp, 6805.bmp, and 6809.bmp (as seen on the picture, you will need to right click and click assign, and then click assign to, then select your file.)



6. Go to "file" and Save as explorer.exe on your desktop

7. Go to the windows folder and rename explorer.exe to explorer.exe.bak and then copy-paste the new explorer, Kill the process in task manager and start it again.
Now you have a new start button!

Please comment, if you have something to say

Related Tutorials

---

• Download a Shortcut that Opens the Start Menu in Windows
• How to Create Custom Start Orb Image
• How to Create a New Rectangular Windows 7 Start Menu Button

 

[maranello]

thanks man, great stuff...

it was kinda weird when the "take ownership" of windows folder command took about 5-7 minutes to complete, but everything went smooth after

 

[TheCuriosity]

that 5 minutes transfer of ownership made me really nervous, too. What I now have a question about it transfering it BACK to TrustedInstaller. As in the instructions noted here, we were to transfer ownership for the entire c:windows. In the broad tutorial that outlines how to do this, it notes that you should switch it back to TrustedInstaller when done.

Do we do it for the WHOLE c:windows (as in switch the ownership back to TrustedInstaller for c:windows and all subfolders as that option allows you to check a box to do?) Will this mess with other things that we should of had ownership for in the first place? If it does, then can we just leave the ownership in our name?

ETA: Okay.. I just changed it all to TrustedInstaller (figure I can change it back if needed). But I have now noticed that my Microsoft 2007 icons (as well as many others) are gone related? Perhaps.

ETA2: Why i believe it is. I had managed to get some of the icons back by reinstalling the programs. After which I changed ownership -- again -- (So I could play with the login screen windows brand) and POOF! the icons of the ones I fixed are gone again.

Unless someone recommends otherwise, I think I'm just going to leave the ownership for c:windows in my name.

 

[stFne]

If anyone is STILL have probs with the whole "trusted installer" crap, here's what i did and it worked fine, and i have a wicked new start button >=D

1. go to your HD and open C or D or whatever your using, then on the 'windows' folder, right click> properties> security.

2. Go to ADVANCED, take ownership of the entire FOLDER from trusted installer to your user or admin.

3. Once you've taken ownership of that, switch across to the "permissions" tab in that same window, then click "change permissions" and it should now let you edit the permissions so that you can have full control.

Save that. i got some warning about lessening windows security, blahblah, click okay.

4.once youve clicked okay on that, your back to the properties window. You should now have full control [but if it doesnt show up, dont worry cause it didnt for mine and still allowed me full access and control]

5. If its still not working, i believe i went into the actual C> windows folder, and edited permissions DIRECTLY for the 'explorer', aka repeat above for the 'explorer' file.

good luck!

 

[jacobyporter328]

thanks alot. I have a question. Is it supposed to bring up a list going rrereeallly fast in a command promp when you select take ownership? It's been like 2 min and its still going

 

[maranello]

yes, that's fine..it takes about 5-10 minutes to complete the whole action

 

[TheCuriosity]

So NO ONE else is having the icon issue I noted above? Also, I have noticed that now when I try to uninstall certain programs, I now get an annoying "The Feature you are trying to use is on a network resource that is unavailable.

Click OK to try again, or enter an alternate path to a folder containing the installation package 'INSERT PROGRAM NAME HERE.msi' in the box below"

And a search for that file comes up with nothing on the PC.

 

[stFne]

So NO ONE else is having the icon issue I noted above? Also, I have noticed that now when I try to uninstall certain programs, I now get an annoying "The Feature you are trying to use is on a network resource that is unavailable.

Click OK to try again, or enter an alternate path to a folder containing the installation package 'INSERT PROGRAM NAME HERE.msi' in the box below"

And a search for that file comes up with nothing on the PC.

its pretty simple; if your having problems with taking ownership of the whole of C drive then dont, its not necessary. Re my above post and note all you need to change ownership is the C:/Windows and C:/windows/explorer itself. change the rest back and try it as above; worked perfectly for me

 

[koumy]

Hi Sergiogarcia

Was wondering about that tuto if the orb must have an alpha channel to display properly because I had some issues making them without it ( no display , artefacts etc ) ?

you don't mention it

 

[jake66]

Ahhh! My screen looks like this the whole time - where have I gone wrong?

 

[TheCuriosity]

So NO ONE else is having the icon issue I noted above? Also, I have noticed that now when I try to uninstall certain programs, I now get an annoying "The Feature you are trying to use is on a network resource that is unavailable.

Click OK to try again, or enter an alternate path to a folder containing the installation package 'INSERT PROGRAM NAME HERE.msi' in the box below"

And a search for that file comes up with nothing on the PC.

its pretty simple; if your having problems with taking ownership of the whole of C drive then dont, its not necessary. Re my above post and note all you need to change ownership is the C:/Windows and C:/windows/explorer itself. change the rest back and try it as above; worked perfectly for me

I may have not been clear as taking ownership was never the problem; it was what happened to my computer right AFTER I did so.

I had zero problems taking ownership of C:/Windows and C:/windows/explorer itself (and adding a new nifty start button). I also had zero problems switching it all back to trustedinstaller, and vice versa.

The problem is that once I DID take ownership of c:/windows, icons for all microsoft programs, adobe reader 9, google earth, some pre-installed bloatware from HP went missing. Bigger problem is that I could no longer uninstall HP bloatware, nor was I able to uninstall items like Google Earth unless I reinstalled it first because of whatever this message means:

"The Feature you are trying to use is on a network resource that is unavailable.

Click OK to try again, or enter an alternate path to a folder containing the installation package 'INSERT PROGRAM NAME HERE.msi' in the box below"

Trying to switch back to 'trustedinstaller' was no help.

While many of the program this is a minor annoyance of having to reinstall in order to get the icons back or to be able to actually uninstall it, I don't have the luxury of doing this with all the programs that are having this issue.

 

[maranello]

Ahhh! My screen looks like this the whole time - where have I gone wrong?

View attachment 35427

where did you get your custom orb button ?, seems like it was a white .png background

try with this one, taken from http://www.sevenforums.com/customization/23935-official-sevenforums-theme.html:

 

[tuckinrimins10]

Thank you so much for this!!!

 

[jake66]

thanks, ur rep's going up!

 

[maranello]

you're welcome guys, glad i could help you

 

[Dnlb32]

Eureka!

I appreciate the help that from those who were willing to do so!
Think i have found the root of my problem, and probably "TheCuriosity"s also...

Ehemm...

The trail version of restorator 2007 linked 2 from the tutorial works fine.

No need to trudge off looking for a full version, you'll likely just end up finding a headache and a restore.

 

[TheCuriosity]

oh oh! What was it? Do you have any suggestions?

 

[Dnlb32]

Make sure your using the right "Restorator 2007", or try re-downloading it from a different source. I was having the same problem, until i re-downloaded it from the link provided in the walk through and it worked fine, making sure to open it as administrator. Also, when i was having the problem your having i noticed it started as soon as the file was opened with that version of restorator

 

[TheCuriosity]

Ah.. but my issue occurs when I am changing ownership, not when I am using Restorator 2007. Is the mere fact that I may have a corrupt version of Restorator 2007 cause this?

 

[Dnlb32]

Don't see that as it seeing it is not executing... I am assuming that you do have an administrator account? Have you tried turning uac down?

 

[Dinesh]

Ok can someone upload red fusion start buttons please>>>